A cherry on top isn’t just for sundaes; we’re using the fruit to dress savory pork chops in this recipe. You’ll be making a pan sauce that features both dried cherries and cherry jam for double the fruity fun. Make sure to get a little of it on the couscous salad—that sweetness is the perfect complement to the tartness of the lemon and tomatoes that get mixed in.
The quantities provided above are averages only.
Produced in a facility that processes eggs, milk, fish, peanuts, sesame, shellfish, soy, tree nuts, and wheat.
1 unit
Shallot
1 unit
Lemon
4 ounce
Grape Tomatoes
2 unit
Scallions
¼ ounce
Parsley
1 ounce
Dried Cherries
½ cup
Couscous
(Contains Wheat)
12 ounce
Pork Chops
1 ounce
Chicken Stock Concentrate
1 ounce
Cherry Jam
1 teaspoon
Vegetable Oil
Salt
Pepper
Wash and dry all produce. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in a small pot. Halve, peel, and mince shallot. Zest and halve lemon. Halve grape tomatoes. Trim, then thinly slice scallions, keeping greens and whites separate. Finely chop parsley.
Place dried cherries in a small bowl. Pour over just enough boiling water to cover cherries (you’ll need to save 1 cup for the couscous). Set aside.
Put couscous in a medium bowl. Stir in scallion whites, half the shallot, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Pour in 1 cup boiling water and cover. Set aside.
Heat a drizzle of oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Pat pork chops dry with a paper towel. Season all over with salt and pepper. Add to pan and cook to desired doneness, 3-6 minutes per side. Remove from pan and let rest 5 minutes.
Reduce heat under pan to medium and add remaining shallot. Cook until softened, about 1 minute. Stir in stock concentrate, jam, and half the cherries along with all of their steeping water. Give everything a stir to combine, then bring to a simmer and let bubble until reduced by half. (TIP: The sauce is ready when it sticks to a spoon.) Season with salt and pepper.
Fluff couscous with a fork. Add grape tomatoes, scallion greens, lemon zest, remaining cherries, and juice from one lemon half to bowl and toss. Season with salt, pepper, and more lemon. Divide couscous between plates and top with pork chops. Drizzle with pan sauce and garnish with parsley.